Dawn arrived like a silent promise. The first pale golden rays of sun crept through the layers of canopy, shining weakly into the cave entrance and chasing away the chill of the night. Our sleep had been fitful and shallow, but it was no longer the desperate, sleepless vigil of the night before. The existence of the "Heart of the Forest"—my own name for the stone—had kindled a small but warm flame of hope in each of us.
Kael could move his arm almost normally, though he still avoided any forceful movements. The somber look was gone from his face; in its place was a newfound resolve. The same was true for Elara. The pain of Finn's loss was still etched deep in her eyes, but now, mixed with that grief, was a glimmer of resilience. She was no longer huddled in a dark corner but was sitting with us by the dying fire, sorting their meager belongings.
We knew we couldn't stay here. This root hollow was a wonderful shelter, but it was also a trap if we were discovered. Food and water would eventually run out. We needed to move, and we needed a destination.
Kael and Elara began a discussion. Though I didn't understand a single word, I could grasp the gist of it through their body language and intonation. Kael spread a small piece of hide on the ground, using a piece of charcoal to sketch out rough lines. Elara pointed in different directions, sometimes shaking her head, sometimes nodding. Her voice was at times urgent, at others contemplative. They were forming a plan, a path.
Their debate lasted for a while. It seemed they were weighing several options, each one fraught with its own risks. Finally, Elara pointed decisively in one direction—north, by my estimation—and spoke a long, persuasive sentence. Kael listened, thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement. He wiped the makeshift map from the hide. They had made a decision.
Kael turned to me. He stood up, walked toward the exit of the hollow, and pointed north, the same direction Elara had indicated. Then, he drew the shape of a colossal tree in the air, followed by many small houses on its branches. He repeated the image, then pointed to himself, to Elara, and to me, before finally pointing north one more time.
I understood. Somewhere to the north, there was a settlement, a "Tree City" like the one from my imagination. That was their destination.
Next, he made a series of more complex gestures. He pointed at me, then at the two of them, and held up three fingers, circling them together into a ring. Then, he pointed at me alone and shook his head, waving his hands with a worried expression. The message was clear: "Do you want to come with us? The three of us together. It will be dangerous for you alone."
It was an invitation, an acknowledgment. I was no longer a burden or an outsider. My strange ability had made me an indispensable part, at least for now. I looked at Kael, the man who had set aside his suspicion to trust my wild premonition. I looked at Elara, who had used a miracle to save her companion's life and had offered me a sincere thank you. Though we came from different worlds and spoke different languages, tragedy and survival had forged an invisible bond between us. Being alone in this world was a death sentence. I knew that.
I didn't need long to think. I looked Kael straight in the eye and nodded decisively.
A relieved smile appeared on Kael's face. Elara, who had been watching us, also nodded at me, a nod of acceptance. From now on, we were a team.
As we prepared to pack up the last of our things to leave, a thought struck me. I turned back to look at the small puddle we had dug. Could it show me anything more?
I knelt beside it, holding the Heart of the Forest in my hand. I closed my eyes, not trying to look at the water's surface, but trying to connect with it, just as I had with the tree. I focused on the thought of the path ahead, of the journey to the "Tree City." The warm energy from the stone in my hand seemed to amplify my ability.
When I opened my eyes and looked down at the water, my reflection was gone. In its place, the surface displayed a faint, three-dimensional topographical map of the forest around us. It was astonishingly detailed, with hills, valleys, and small rivers. The most remarkable feature was a thin path, glowing with a faint green light, that snaked through the forest, starting from our position and heading directly north. Along that glowing path, the terrain appeared flatter and less treacherous. But on either side of the path, I could see areas marked with a deep red, looking like regions of danger.
"I know the way," I said aloud, forgetting they couldn't understand me. But they understood my actions.
I stood up and pointed to the map on the water's surface. Kael and Elara bent down to look. They didn't see the detailed map that I saw; to them, the water probably just rippled strangely. But they saw my expression and my confidence.
I didn't try to explain further. I picked up a piece of charcoal and redrew the glowing path I had seen onto Kael's piece of hide, marking the red danger zones as well. I drew as accurately as I could, trying to replicate what the Heart of the Forest had shown me.
When I finished, Kael picked up the hide, comparing it with what he remembered of the area. He and Elara exchanged a few short words, their voices filled with astonishment. They might not have understood how I knew, but the map I drew seemed to match their knowledge and even added details they were unaware of.
Kael looked at me, and this time, his eyes held not just acceptance, but respect. He carefully put the hide with the map away.
My role in the group had been clearly defined. I wasn't a warrior like Kael, nor a healer or a keeper of ancient knowledge like Elara. I was the navigator, the guide. My ability to connect with this world, amplified by the Heart of the Forest, was our compass.
We extinguished the last of the fire, filled our waterskins, and shouldered our meager packs. Before leaving, all three of us paused for a moment, turning to look south, toward the chasm where Finn had fallen. It was a moment of silent tribute.
Then, we turned our backs, with Kael in the lead, me in the middle, and Elara bringing up the rear. We stepped out from the safety of the root hollow to face the light of a new day. The sky was clear, birds were chirping, and the forest looked peaceful. But we knew well that countless dangers lurked beneath that tranquil facade.
The journey to Tel'Adria, the city in the trees, had begun. And this time, we were not walking in blindness and fear. We were walking on a path illuminated by the green light of hope.